State Senate Pres. David Long announces retirement

David Long, the Fort Wayne Republican and longtime legislative leader, will retire from politics and cede his position as leader of the Indiana Senate.

Long has served 22 years in the state's upper chamber, the majority of those in a leadership capacity. His retirement opens the position of President Pro Tem in the Indiana Senate.

The announcement came during a mid-session address in which Long was expected to discuss progress on legislation and the remaining weeks of the current session.

"It’s difficult to leave a job that you love and that you believe you were born to do,” Long said. “However, none of us is indispensable, and you have to know when the time is right to step away. For me, that time is now."

Prior to his election to the senate, Long was a member of the Fort Wayne City Council.

Long is married to Melissa Long, the former news anchor for what was then "21Alive." He is expected to officially retire this fall, coinciding with the November election.

A caucus by the Indiana Republican Party will determine who will replace him in the senate.